


At The End of The Road There is a Light

by DaddysGracelessAngel



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Castiel Loves Dean Winchester, Dean Dies, Dean Winchester Loves Castiel, Dean dies of old age, Death, Destiel - Freeform, Family, Finale spoilers, Fluff, Hunting, Hurt/Comfort, Love, M/M, Post season finale, monsters become hunters, natural death, sam runs a hunting network, season 15 spoilers
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-20
Updated: 2020-11-20
Packaged: 2021-03-10 06:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27638663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaddysGracelessAngel/pseuds/DaddysGracelessAngel
Summary: Dean and Sam live out the rest of their lives, but Dean is ready to go home to Cas. A look at what the ending could have been.(Not a coda, spoilers were unintentional)(Started writing this earlier today before the finale) Let me know if I missed tags!
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester
Comments: 5
Kudos: 58





	At The End of The Road There is a Light

**Author's Note:**

> OUF What a journey it's been. I don't plan on going anywhere though. I stan destiel for life. Thank you spn fam for being rad.
> 
> Also i didnt edit, sorry haha

Dean watches Jack leave, his heart heavy as the kid - _God_ \- walks away. He wants to tell him he's sorry for the things he said, reassure Jack that he _is_ family, but with Jack's new upgrade, he doesn't want it to seem like pandering. Dean is done with lies and manipulations, he wants Jack to know he's loved and not just because he's useful, and that Dean has forgiven him for Mary. But he's exhausted, running on empty, now that Chuck has been kicked off his cosmic throne and is no longer a threat to the whole of existence, and the words don't come. 

Jack pauses, turning around with a fond smile. "I know, Dean. Thank you." He nods at Sam as well, before making to leave, except he stops once more, and looks back, a hesitant expression on his face. "Things need to go back to how they were before. Order needs to be restored, or this universe will fall into chaos. Chuck promised Amara balance, and I wish to uphold that promise. It will keep her settled within me. For that to happen I-" Jack frowns, his eyes looking mournful. "I can't bring him back, Dean." The world seems to fall out from beneath Dean's feet, and he feels an icy chill grip his heart. "But," Jack continues quickly, pressing on, "dad is at peace now. That I can reassure you." 

Then Jack disappears for good this time, and it's just him and Sam. Sam places a comforting hand on Dean's shoulder, and instead of shaking it away and pretending he's fine, he lets his brother help him. Minutes pass, maybe hours, and then he lets go. He is more than his hurt and anger. 

"Burgers and beer, Sammy. Let's celebrate." 

Sam smiles, though it doesn't reach his eyes. "Okay, Dean." 

The years pass, and things change. Dean spends another year or so hunting monsters, the family business as usual, Sam and him side by side running an elite network of established hunters across the USA. Sam thrives in a leadership position and Dean falls in step behind him, happy to let his brother run the operations, letting him decide where he is needed on missions. Sam also revives the Men of Letters, except he renames it to Legacies of Eileen, and of course, women are officially accepted into the organization, lots of which come reccomended from Wayward Sisters, the operation started by Jody and Donna; Patience, Claire and Kaia will one day inherit the next generation - Alex leads a mostly normal life, but still visits and keeps in constant contact with her family, who support her decision of leaving hunting behind. 

After a few years, Sam retires from missions, but continues to lead the organization, with assistance of a council of sorts, integrated with monsters that are against violence towards humans. Actually, a lot of them join in an official capacity, working alongside their human counterparts to keep the peace among their species. There are some hiccups along the way, but they're overcome and things settle. 

Dean retires entirely. Once upon a time, he believed he'd die on the job, but that's not how he wants to go anymore. That's not who he is, and it's not what he wants his legacy to be. He stops drinking, or at least tries to, but never fully succeeds. He doesn't get drunk anymore though, just drinks enough to get a buzz once in a while when everything becomes Too Much. Garth takes it upon himself to help Dean through these moments, a good friend and a makeshift therapist that understands the trauma that comes with the supernatural world. Sam decides this is another program they need to create for the supernatural community, but he's overwhelmed with what's already on his plate - until the shapeshifter who posed as a therapist way back when to help Jack gets in contact with their network, and Sam is able to delegate the task to them. 

Dean gets a house. It's more of a cabin really, away from the city and not too far from an isolated fishing spot. He's still a man of the world, still loves the convenience of electricity, so he does have some amenities like basic electricity for the internet, so he can stream slashers and watch scooby-doo, but he keeps a fire going to heat the house and chops wood daily, and the manual labor helps him keep fit. Of course, he still tinkers with Baby, and goes on long drives, but he's content out here by himself. Sam comes to stay sometimes, so he was one extra room, but other than that, he's alone. 

Well, maybe not completely. 

Dean never forgets Cas, and he never stops praying to Jack. Dean was definitely not a religious man, even before the First Apocalypse, but he's sort of become one now. Not in the church-going, hymn singing way (unless you count serenading the falling rain with rock music hymns - maybe Jack does, if they connect him to Dean), but in the way he devotes time to pray for his family, the hunters, the monsters, and the world. And for Cas. He hopes wherever he is, whereever Jack put him, he's happy. Dean also devotes moments of peace to himself daily, a quiet time just for him and his happiness, and a time to just exist without _being_. 

There's a little memorial out back. Dean had built a small cabinet, placed a frame inside it with a picture of Cas, and surrounded it with daily offerings. He does the things Cas would have liked to do - he has a collection of hives, placing a sample of honey now and again in Cas' shrine, or a dead queen bee when she has passed. He likes to think the bees he lines, dead of natural causes, are with Cas now, waiting for him to die, too. The cabin is surrounded by gardens, both vegetables and flowers, that he eats and leaves for Cas, too. With the extra time on his hands, Dean picked up the guitar again and writes songs he wishes he could have sung to Cas. Mostly, he uses what time he has left to love the world the way Cas loved it. The way they could have loved it together. He couldn't say it before he left, but he tells Castiel's picture everyday that he loves him, too. 

Dean changed Cas, but Cas changed Dean. He saw Dean, the real Dean, under all the hurt and pain, under all the anger that constantly simmered beneath the surface of his skin, ready to burst and hurt the nearest person that tried to get close to him. Castiel descended through Hell and back, through Purgatory, through Heaven, through Death, and he did it all for Dean. He gripped Dean tight, and pulled him through his soul through all the shit Dean kept himself buried under, and reminded Dean that Dean is more than what has happened to him. That he is full of love, and deserves love. That he _is_ love. Dean tries to do better everyday. 

Dean's old now. Sam happily married his wife years ago, had one point five kids, all while running the comprehensive organization that had revealed itself to the whole of humanity once it'd become more successful and completely established. The world was still adjusting, but with some miracles (thanks, Jack), it was beginning to become more accepting. Dean could not have been more proud of his brother for all of his achievements, though Sam was right he couldn't have done it alone. Not without the cooperation and resourcefulness of everyone else involved. Still, Sam had pulled it altogether to create a well liked machine, and the entire planet was benefiting from it. Sue him for being biased. 

Yesterday was his last day with his family. He'd seen the faint flicker of shadows in the corner of his eyes for weeks now, the silhouette of someone, and he knew what was coming. Dean wasn't scared. It wouldn't be his first time, but he truly hoped, this time, it would be his last. Dean turns off his lamp one last time, ambles into bed, and closes his eyes, a peaceful smile on his lips. 

When he opens them again, it's quiet. He's in a long hall that he doesn't recognize, but he knows where he is. There's a mirror nearby, and Dean greets his reflection like an old friend, looking his forty year old self again, the memories of that day coming back to him. 

"Hello," comes the cheerful voice behind him, and Dean turns around to face Jack who has his hand raised in his typical greeting, and a grin on his face. The old hunter feels a sensation that reminds of him of his dull ache in his heart, but can't be, because he no longer has use for a beating organ. Or tears, or feelings, but he's choked up anyway, and his eyes become blurry. 

"Jack," he chokes. Tears slip loose, and he doesn't try to wipe them away. "It's good to see you, kid." 

Jack just smiles brighter. "I'm God now Dean, not quite a kid." 

Dean scoffs, "I don't care what divine deity you are, you're still my kid." He says, rushing forward and pulling the celestial wavelength embodying a young man into a tight embrace. Touching Jack is like finding his place in the Universe, and he assumes that this is what any parent reunited with their children feels like. "I prayed every day. I felt you, like you said. In the rain, in the trees; you were everywhere." He says, like Jack doesn't already know. Jack just laughs, pulling back. 

"So you know I was never really gone." Dean rolls his eyes, and Jack tilts his head. Melancholy flickers in Dean's soul, and Jack must notice because he stands up straight. "Are you ready to see Heaven?" He asks, as if the hunter has a choice. Although, he wouldn't mind going to Hell, now that Rowena is in charge. 

"I just got here, and you already want to kick me into my personal retirement home? Dry, Jack, I thought we raised you better than that, kid." Dean jokes, punching his shoulder. Jack doesn't even move, unaffected by Dean's roughhousing. Instead, an excited energy surrounds him. 

"Heaven has changed since the last time you were here, Dean. We have more of an, how did was it put again? 'Open policy' thing going on." Jack doesn't make the gesture, but Dean hears the air quotes anyway. If only his other father could see him now. 

"Oh. That sounds cool, I s'pose. Lead the way." 

"Awesome. Follow me." 

They walk down the long white hall, marble floors echoing through the narrow space. All the doors that used to line the walls have disappeared, leading to one grand double door, an engraved arch curling above it and around it. Dean would snort at the stereotypical entrance if he wasn't so nervous with anticipation with what laid beyond it. He just hoped his mother would be there to greet him. Even if she wasn't what he had wanted on earth, he still loved her fiercely and had her ripped away again, too soon. 

Jack stops in front of the entrance, and pauses. "Originally, I was going to have Mary greet you. Especially to make up for my...my betrayal." He holds up his hand to Dean, who had attempted to reassure Jack he was forgiven. "I know Dean, just let me apologize again. Please. I know we had a rocky relationship, after I killed Mary. I deserved it. You deserved to be angry, and you deserved time to process it. What I did was unforgivable, and I know you tried hard to make me feel like family despite your grudge. It's okay. You've forgiven me now, I know, and I know you love me. I love you too, Dean. I still think of you as my dad, along with Sam, and - well anyway, I've prepared something else for you." 

Jack steps aside, clasping his hands in front of him with a proud smile on his face. 

"You're not coming?" Dean asks, eyeing the door suspiciously. 

"Not yet. This is for you." 

Dean stares at Jack for a moment, wondering what comes next. But then the door clicks open, a light piercing through the seams. It pours into the room, blinding Dean with its brilliance and enveloping him in warmth. Dean instinctively throws his arm up to shield himself from it; he's sure he'd be scorched and fried, making his way to Heaven all over again if he were still alive and faced with the entity consuming him.

"Oh one more thing. Everything you see in there is real, Dean. And not just because you want it to be." He tries to understand what Jack means, how he can see anything like this, but everything turns white and even though he hadn't moved from his spot, he knows he's somewhere else now, with no door to turn back to. 

_Hello, Dean_

Unable to help himself, he gasps as the voice welcomes him. Except it's not a voice, it's a hum, a gentle vibration that tickles his mind to convey thoughts and feelings. 

_These are the first words I ever spoke to you. I've been waiting. What was the rest of your lifetime was only a minute for me, but that minute was an eternity without you._

Tears fill Dean's eyes, realizing this is what Enochian sounds like spoken by an angel. In their trueform. He feels - he feels - high with euphoria. 

"So this is what the voice of an angel sounds like," Dean laughs, fighting back a sob.

The light settles, the intense glow dimming to something normal human eyes can stand. There's a fluttering of wings, and then he knows Cas is behind him. 

He doesn't wait for Cas to say anything more, just runs into the familiar arms of the trenchcoat wearing angel he fell in love with. 

Cas makes a soft 'ouf' sound, and Dean knows that just for his benefit. They're not alive, they have no need for oxygen. His laugh is muffled in Cas' shoulder. 

"You always knew how to make an entrance." Dean can't see his face right now, but he knows Cas is smiling, too. 

"Hello, Dean." He greets again, in his rough gravelly voice. 

"You're not just a memory, are you?" It's more of a statement than a question, but Cas answers anyway. 

"No. I'm real, Dean. We're real." Dean pulls away to look into Cas' eyes, deep blue and vibrant, filled with the same love and affection that was in them the day he left. 

"Yeah, Cas. We are." And he does what he should have done a life time ago. He cups Cas' face in his hands, and leans in, gently pressing their lips together. They have forever to kiss in different ways, but Dean wants their first to be sweet. And sweet it is. 

"Is that- why do your lips taste like honey?" 

"Do you think I'd let your offers go to waste? You did well, Dean. Those bees loved you. Thank you." 

Dean blushes, kissing him again, this time a little harder. 

Heaven really has changed. He can visit his friends, his family, everyone's special corner of heaven whenever he wants. He never has to miss anyone ever again, and he waits patiently in Cas' arms for Sam to come home. 

Everything comes together at the End of The Road.


End file.
